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Where do I start? Searching NARIC's resources

Thank you for visiting naric.com! We hope you're able to find the information, resource, or document you need for your research or practice or to advocate on your own behalf or that of a loved one. If you're having difficulty finding the right resources, try these hints and instructions.

Where do I start?

What are you searching for? NARIC has several databases, plus individual pages on this site. Are you looking for:

Articles, books, reports, or multimedia items about disability and rehabilitation? Try searching REHABDATA, our index of disability and rehabilitation research. Please note: only a portion of the documents indexed in this database are available to download. Other items can be ordered through our document delivery service.

Current research projects? Try searching the Program Database, a compendium of current and previously funded research grants funded by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR). Hint: Each project listing includes a list of documents indexed in REHABDATA. It's a great way to see what the grantees produce.

I found the right page, how do I search for what I need?

Each of our three databases have the same search criteria. You can search for some, all, or none of the words you need. You can also search specific fields or modify your search by certain criteria.

Search "all of these words"

This search looks for all of the words you entered anywhere in the record, in any order. If you enter wheelchair transportation safety it will search for wheelchair, transportation, and safety (125 records in REHABDATA). Any records your search returns must have all three words. This is not the same as a phrase search.

Search for an "exact phrase"

This search looks for all of the words you entered in that exact order with no other words in between. If you entered wheelchair transportation safety, and records your search returns must have those three words in that order (26 records in REHABDATA).

Search for "at least one"

This search looks for any instance of your search words. If you enter wheelchair transportation safety, it will search for wheelchair, transportation, or safety (1000+ records in REHABDATA). Any records your search returns may have one, two, or all three words in any order. This will return the most results. It's an excellent way to search for something that may have multiple terms (head injury, brain injury, brain damage).

Search for records "without these words"

This search will remove any record that contain all of your search words. This is an excellent way to narrow or focus your search. You may be interested in wheelchair safety but do not wish to include issues relating to transportation. Search wheelchair safety in "all of these words" and "transportation" in "without" will eliminate those records from your search (200 records in REHABDATA).

Can I search for a piece of a word?

Yes! You can do a "wild card search" in any of these databases. Use either the any words blank or search in a specific field. Add a * (asterisk) to the end of your search. A search for librar* will search for library, librarian, libraries, etc.,

Refining your search

Each database has extra search options. You could choose to look in specific fields. For example

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The contents of NARIC web site were developed under a contract from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (contract #ED-OSE-10-0074). However, those contents do not necessarily represent the policy of the NIDILRR, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government